Humans are just another species of animal, just like dogs, chicken, alligators, and rats. There are two major differences, however: Humans have a much larger mental capacity, and Humans have a (stronger) connection to "the spirit".

Our being able to think in abstract terms, to reach a deeper understanding of how things work, has helped us to develop technologically to the level we are today. It could also help us to understand that we are all in the same boat, that this boat is the only boat there is for us humans, and that we are slowly destroying it. The data is there. The capacity to understand is there. So why aren't more of us concerned about it?

I think the answer to this question lies in our "heritage" as animals. Nature on earth is based on scarcity and competition. For all members of nature life is a constant struggle to survive. To find enough food, to not get eaten, to procreate.

We have these basic instincts deeply ingrained in us too. Our focus on money, status, power - it all originates from these basic instincts. Money means food. More money means more food. Status and power means strength to not get eaten, and with that, increased chances and choices for mating and procreating.

We are working together, just like wolves hunt in a pack, or fish swim in a school. However, our main focus is still on oneself. "I" am the center of the universe. "I" am the most important thing in the world. The rest of the world is there to make "my" survival possible and more likely, and my life more comfortable. This focus on myself is really just the animal in us coming through.

Humans do have a spiritual side too. And this side, over time, has helped people understand some basic spiritual ideas: the Buddhist "Try not to want", the Jewish "There is only one god", the Christian "Love your neighbor", the American Indian "Nature is your brother" - all these are examples of understandings received through our spiritual side.

In a way, we humans have focused most of our time and energy on following our animal instincts. Yes, we all have spent some time thinking about our spiritual calling too. But most of us follow almost exclusively the call of nature, the animal drives.

The interesting part, though, is, that happiness, fulfillment and joy are spiritual concepts. The animal can only survive. Only the spirit can experience happiness. As long as we are motivated by our animal drives, all we can accomplish is to survive better. If we want to be happy, the only way to reach that is through spirituality. And this is true, I think, for each individual, as well as for the species as a whole.

When looking at any of our problems, large and small, most of them - if not all - are consequences of our ignoring the spiritual side, and solely focusing on the animal side. Usually, when we look at any of our problems, we look at them only from the animal view-point. And our attempts to solve them, also, is motivated by and geared towards solving it from the animal's perspective: the animal wants to survive and wants its family to survive, it experiences the world as a competition over scarce resources, its choice is me or them, it is me about me against them.

I think, we basically have solved our animal problems - we can survive, the individual and our family. It is time now to focus on our spiritual problems. And, really, most of our problems are spiritual problems. Even hough we choose to look at them from the animal point-of-view, and try to solve them as animal problems. Once we do accept this, and we start treating these problems as spiritual problems, there is a chance to find real solutions.

Examples of problems, that are of spiritual nature but are seen and treated as animal issues?

All wars: Israel and Palestine, Irak, Iran, Kashmir, Korea; Environmental issues: Global Warming, rain-forest deforestation, over-fishing, pollution; Social issues: world-hunger, rich-poor divide; Community issues: gangs, violence, drugs, racism, sexism, ageism; Political issues: partisan politics, education, health-care, illegal immigrants, labor-disputes, the complete legal-system, homelessness; Personal issues: domestic violence, parent-teenager issues, fighting among siblings or neighbors. Really, pretty much any problem today is more so an issue caused by spiritual immaturity and needs a spiritual solution, rather than a "worldly" question...